85 books like We Only Kiss at Christmas

By Con Riley,

Here are 85 books that We Only Kiss at Christmas fans have personally recommended if you like We Only Kiss at Christmas. Shepherd is a community of 11,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Blame It on the Mistletoe

Sophia Soames Author Of In this Bed of Snowflakes we Lie

From my list on holiday romance you’ll want to read every year.

Why am I passionate about this?

Having grown up in snowy Scandinavia, my passion for Christmas has always been with me. Nothing beats a good romantic holiday novel, and especially one containing all those themes we know and love. A little bit of loneliness. A pinch of festive fun. Add that special meet-cute. Sprinkle magic over the pages and a comfort-read for years to come is born. As an author I hope my readers enjoy my festive romps, and that perhaps even they, can become a well-read yearly comfort read.

Sophia's book list on holiday romance you’ll want to read every year

Sophia Soames Why did Sophia love this book?

Eli Easton’s Blame It on the Mistletoe is classic M/M romance.

An easy, angst-free read, the slow-burning romance between sporty Mick and new roommate Fielding, will melt your heart in all the best ways. A sensitive portrayal of neurodivergence completes this festive romp, singing the message that we all deserve a happy ending.

Book cover of A Christmas Engagement

Sophia Soames Author Of In this Bed of Snowflakes we Lie

From my list on holiday romance you’ll want to read every year.

Why am I passionate about this?

Having grown up in snowy Scandinavia, my passion for Christmas has always been with me. Nothing beats a good romantic holiday novel, and especially one containing all those themes we know and love. A little bit of loneliness. A pinch of festive fun. Add that special meet-cute. Sprinkle magic over the pages and a comfort-read for years to come is born. As an author I hope my readers enjoy my festive romps, and that perhaps even they, can become a well-read yearly comfort read.

Sophia's book list on holiday romance you’ll want to read every year

Sophia Soames Why did Sophia love this book?

Ellie Thomas is a British author who specializes in short historical novellas.

Every single one is a small period drama in itself, where Ellie’s beautiful prose shines through. Meticulously researched these stories deliver on every level. At Christmas Charles leaves his long-term partner Avery (aka The Nicest Man in England TM) behind to care for his family.

An ill-advised proposal looms over his head as he’s faced with the hardest decision of his life. His family or the man he so desperately loves. 

By Ellie Thomas,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Christmas Engagement as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.


Book cover of Second Best Men

Sophia Soames Author Of In this Bed of Snowflakes we Lie

From my list on holiday romance you’ll want to read every year.

Why am I passionate about this?

Having grown up in snowy Scandinavia, my passion for Christmas has always been with me. Nothing beats a good romantic holiday novel, and especially one containing all those themes we know and love. A little bit of loneliness. A pinch of festive fun. Add that special meet-cute. Sprinkle magic over the pages and a comfort-read for years to come is born. As an author I hope my readers enjoy my festive romps, and that perhaps even they, can become a well-read yearly comfort read.

Sophia's book list on holiday romance you’ll want to read every year

Sophia Soames Why did Sophia love this book?

Not everyone loves a festive romance, when it involves everything we ourselves may neither want or need.

For Rob and Evan, their Christmas has been mostly hell, and as Evan crashes his car outside Rob’s remote farm? Well, it’s a classic opener. Add a snowstorm, a bull named Watermelon and a dislocated shoulder? You have the setup for a very happy end of the festive season indeed.

Fearne Hill writes stories full of warmth and British charm, and if you feel hungover on the festive season already? This might just be the book for you.

By Fearne Hill,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Second Best Men as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Two snowed-in men. 300 cows. And a mangy dog.
Tucked away down a rutted dirt track lives a grumpy dairy farmer.

He’s firmly in the closet. And he’s desperately lonely.

That farmer is me—Rob Langford. I have more meaningful conversations with my prize bull than people. Except, one snowy night, I stumble across a fancy car wedged into a ditch.

The driver needs my help.

He’s injured. Stranded. The snow lies two feet deep.

And over the next few days, I discover this quiet, thoughtful man doesn’t mind my run-down cottage and my lumpy old sofa. He's even quite tolerant…


Book cover of Not Over Yet

Sophia Soames Author Of In this Bed of Snowflakes we Lie

From my list on holiday romance you’ll want to read every year.

Why am I passionate about this?

Having grown up in snowy Scandinavia, my passion for Christmas has always been with me. Nothing beats a good romantic holiday novel, and especially one containing all those themes we know and love. A little bit of loneliness. A pinch of festive fun. Add that special meet-cute. Sprinkle magic over the pages and a comfort-read for years to come is born. As an author I hope my readers enjoy my festive romps, and that perhaps even they, can become a well-read yearly comfort read.

Sophia's book list on holiday romance you’ll want to read every year

Sophia Soames Why did Sophia love this book?

Sweet, cute, and full of festive magic, Barbara Elsborg is the queen of sprinkling her readers with whimsical delights.

Here Barbara mixes a contemporary setting with a touch of the paranormal, as things in this seemingly normal world? Are not always what they seem. A vet in a remote cottage? A stranger stuck in a snowstorm? This low-angst Christmas novella will make you smile and giggle and hope for good things for everyone.

A magical story to finish the perfect December.

By Barbara Elsborg,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Not Over Yet as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.


Book cover of At Bertram's Hotel

Anne Wedgwood Author Of The Botanist

From my list on crime with elderly female protagonists.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was eleven years old when my father introduced me to my first Agatha Christie mystery, and I’ve never looked back. When the time came to write a crime novel of my own, I knew that I wanted it to be set in Beverley, but I didn’t expect my plot to lead me to write about a pensioner. Perhaps it’s not surprising – older people have a vast knowledge of the world which can only make them more interesting as central characters in fiction. It has inspired me to seek out more books with a pensioner/crime theme – I hope you enjoy the ones on this list!

Anne's book list on crime with elderly female protagonists

Anne Wedgwood Why did Anne love this book?

It’s hard to choose a Miss Marple book – they are all so good – but I have settled on this one as it reminds me of London, where I used to live. Miss Marple is my favourite elderly female protagonist of all time, because of the means by which she takes such good advantage of people’s underestimation of her abilities. She is wise, insightful, and clever, and I find her enjoyment of her ‘treat’ visit to the hotel very endearing – who wouldn’t love a holiday in a posh hotel at someone else’s expense?

By Agatha Christie,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked At Bertram's Hotel as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

When Miss Marple comes up from the country for a holiday in London, she finds what she's looking for at Bertram's Hotel: traditional decor, impeccable service and an unmistakable atmosphere of danger behind the highly polished veneer.

Yet, not even Miss Marple can foresee the violent chain of events set in motion when an eccentric guest makes his way to the airport on the wrong day...


Book cover of Carfax House: A Christmas Ghost Story

Steve Griffin Author Of The Boy in the Burgundy Hood: A Ghost Story

From my list on ghost mystery stories.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve loved horror books and films since I was a boy, staying up late at the weekend to watch all those Hammer classics. Ghost stories are a favourite and many of the best – except those where the ghosts are pure evil – are all about the mystery. What horror was visited on this spirit to make it return and haunt the living? The process of finding out must be elusive, suggestive, mysterious – and leave you that little bit less certain all is well when you go through the house switching off the lights last thing at night. All these books surely do that.

Steve's book list on ghost mystery stories

Steve Griffin Why did Steve love this book?

I can’t have Christmas without a good ghost mystery and for me, Carfax House perfectly fits the bill. When her husband gets caught up at work in London, a lonely wife prepares their new country home for Christmas. But an elusive female figure haunting the building and its fog-strewn grounds reconnect her with a traumatic experience from the past. The contrast between the enforced jollity of Christmas and the strain on the woman’s psyche threatens to wreck her increasingly fragile grip on reality.

By Shani Struthers,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Carfax House as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From the bestselling author of the bestselling Psychic Surveys and This Haunted World series, comes a Christmas ghost story to chill your bones!
A renovation. In the countryside. Just over an hour’s train ride from London.
An ideal family home. Sold unseen. At auction.
Married couple, Al and Liz Greenaway, love London, but when they discover an impressive country property for sale, in need of some TLC, for the same price as their London flat, they decide to go for it. For them, life is all about reinventing themselves, keeping things fresh, and this house marks an exciting new chapter.…


Book cover of A Holiday By Gaslight: A Victorian Christmas Novella

Emmanuelle de Maupassant Author Of The Lady's Guide to Mistletoe and Mayhem

From my list on Christmas romances set at country houses.

Why am I passionate about this?

Historical romance author Emmanuelle lives on the bonny banks of Loch Fyne with her husband and beloved haggis pudding Archie McFloof—connoisseur of bacon treats and squeaky toys.
While waiting on her own country house party invitation [sending a wink to Inveraray Castle—which is just down the road, and boasts a duke!] she makes do by serving up imaginary shenanigans.  

Emmanuelle's book list on Christmas romances set at country houses

Emmanuelle de Maupassant Why did Emmanuelle love this book?

In this ‘last chance for love’ romance, our gently bred heroine allows herself to be courted by a London merchant for the sake of her family’s dwindling coffers. The courtship of convenience isn’t going well, however, as the darkly handsome hero keeps his emotions so much under wraps that Sophie despairs of him ever declaring himself. Will an invitation to their Christmas family gathering inspire the necessary proposal? Sophie is almost ready to throw in the towel, but her heart whispers that her suitor may not be as reluctant as he first appears. 

By Mimi Matthews,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Holiday By Gaslight as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"Readers will easily fall for Sophie and Ned in their gaslit surroundings." -Library Journal, starred review

A Courtship of Convenience

Sophie Appersett is quite willing to marry outside of her class to ensure the survival of her family. But the darkly handsome Mr. Edward Sharpe is no run-of-the-mill London merchant. He's grim and silent. A man of little emotion--or perhaps no emotion at all. After two months of courtship, she's ready to put an end to things.

A Last Chance for Love

But severing ties with her taciturn suitor isn't as straightforward as Sophie envisioned. Her parents are outraged. And…


Book cover of Meet Me Under the Mistletoe

E.F. Dodd Author Of A Higher Standard

From my list on homecoming (of sorts) romances.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a girl who loves books, bulldogs, and that first hint of summer. I started reading when I was very young – three years old, according to my mother – but even as an alleged child prodigy all I can confirm is that I don’t remember there ever being a time I didn’t love to read. Nancy Drew was my favorite, which probably helps explain why I write books with redheaded heroines in them. 

E.F.'s book list on homecoming (of sorts) romances

E.F. Dodd Why did E.F. love this book?

Any and all of Jenny Bayliss’s books can be read at Christmas and leave you feeling just as good as a hot toddy with the perfectly sized slice of spice cake.

Each of her books is a delectable treat and an immersion in the holiday spirit, but Meet Me Under the Mistletoe is my absolute favorite. Probably because I adore the heroine – Elinor Noel, or Nory for short. She owns her own vintage bookshop in London, but grew up in the English countryside.

Her parents’ home was near a posh private school, which Nory received a scholarship to attend. Throughout the years, she’s remained close with her old school chums and now two of them are set to be married just before Christmas in the old castle on the school grounds. 

Isaac has taken over as head gardener for the castle estate. He tormented Nory when they were children,…

By Jenny Bayliss,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Meet Me Under the Mistletoe as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A city bookshop owner heads to the English countryside for a holiday reunion—only to face her childhood enemy.

Elinor Noel—Nory for short—is quite content running her secondhand bookshop in London. Forever torn between her working-class upbringing and her classmates’ extravagant lifestyles at the posh private school she attended on scholarship, Nory has finally figured out how to keep both at equal distance. So when two of her oldest friends invite their whole gang to spend the time leading up to their wedding together at the castle near their old school, Nory must prepare herself for an emotionally complicated few days.…


Book cover of Sketches by Boz

Steve Morris Author Of Out on Top – A Collection of Upbeat Short Stories

From my list on short stories for when spare time is short.

Why am I passionate about this?

Short stories suit the speed of modern society. I began writing them as a child and began to get them published in magazines. My first collection of stories in 2009 got quite a lot of press in the UK and two more collections followed. Initially, they were darkly-themed backfiring scenarios for the anti-hero and I redressed the balance in Out on Top. We all deserve some good Karma!

Steve's book list on short stories for when spare time is short

Steve Morris Why did Steve love this book?

This is often overlooked by readers of Dickens. I think the term “sketches” is important here at a point where Dickens was still experimenting with his art and particularly his characters which were always going to be his greatest strength. Sketches by Boz is a collection of fascinatingly detailed insights into London life intertwined in episodes (or scenes) as Dickens terms it through a richly caricatured study of a set of interesting lives of the working classes, in a way that only Dickens has ever been able to do. The “sketches” had, prior to this, been serialized in weekly installments (the soap operas of the day). Dickens had experienced sufficient highs and lows of social mobility in his own life to fully qualify his portrayals. "The Tuggses at Ramsgate" is perhaps for me the most memorable but the whole volume is bursting with energetic individuality and character. I have…

By Charles Dickens,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Sketches by Boz as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Charles Dickens (1812-1870) was an English short story writer, dramatist, essayist, and the most popular novelist to come from the Victorian era. He created some of the most iconic characters and stories in English literature, including Mr. Pickwick from "The Pickwick Papers", Ebenezer Scrooge from "A Christmas Carol", David Copperfield, and Pip from "Great Expectations", to name a few. Dickens' began by writing serials for magazines, and from 1833-1836 he used the pseudonym Boz, taken from a childhood nickname for his younger brother. "Sketches by Boz" contains 56 stories and, like most of Dickens' work, vividly portrayed the lives of…


Book cover of An Improper Christmas

Emmanuelle de Maupassant Author Of The Lady's Guide to Scandal

From my list on “snowed-in” Christmas historical romances.

Why am I passionate about this?

Historical romance author Emmanuelle lives on the bonny banks of Loch Fyne with her husband and beloved haggis pudding Archie McFloof—connoisseur of bacon treats and squeaky toys. She’ll never tire of dreaming up handsome and mysterious strangers she’d love to be snowed in with.

Emmanuelle's book list on “snowed-in” Christmas historical romances

Emmanuelle de Maupassant Why did Emmanuelle love this book?

When our heroine discovers her fiancé cheating on her at a Yuletide country house party, she flees in distress, saddling up to return to London on horseback. Cue the intervention of a devilishly handsome rakehell offering his carriage. With all good sense thrown to the wind, lovely Lily is soon climbing aboard—in more ways than one. 

When the pair encounter [gasp] a snowstorm and must take refuge on his estate, the passion-o-meter reaches new heights. This book comes with a fabulous (and well-earned) “sizzle alert”. Hoorah!

By Amy Rose Bennett,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked An Improper Christmas as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Attempting to mend a broken heart by indulging in an affair with a rakehell would not be the wisest course of action for a young lady of the ton. But when Miss Lily Godwin has a chance encounter with the mischievous Lord Nash at a Yuletide house party, she is sorely tempted to throw all dictates of decorum out the window. After all, it’s Christmas.

Author’s Note to Readers: An Improper Christmas is Book 3 in the loosely linked, Improper Liaisons Novella series. It can also be read as a stand-alone. Also please note, this is a NEW COVER edition.…


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